Jennifer Wheeler started at the Rockford Register Star in May 2012. She is out and about in Boone County writing about issues such as education, county and city government, and other news. She grew up in the Windy City and graduated from the
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Jennifer Wheeler started at the Rockford Register Star in May 2012. She is out and about in Boone County writing about issues such as education, county and city government, and other news. She grew up in the Windy City and graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Four candidates have filed to run for Belvidere’s top job, making it the most hotly contested mayoral race in the past 16 years.

Republican Michael Chamberlain, Democrat Andrew Racz and independents Mark Sanderson and Ed Marx will face off in the April 9 mayoral election. Wednesday marked the final day for independent candidates to file to get their names on the primary ballot. Party candidates had to file by Nov. 26.

Mayor Fred Brereton, who announced in February that he will not seek a fifth term, said the city’s next leader must make it his top priority to understand the city’s budget, especially as state aid continues to lag.

"So much hinges on a municipality’s ability to be in good financial shape. It’s going to be a challenge," he added.

Ward 5 Ald. John Sanders, who is not up for re-election, said prior experience for Chamberlain, Racz and Sanderson on the council might give them an advantage over Marx.

Either way, he said, he is looking forward to a fresh face in the mayor’s office and hopes that new members will change the chemistry of the council. He declined to elaborate on the current working relationships on the council.

"(The council is) not bad right now. If you get new people in there with new ideas, it might be better," Sanders said.